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CHECKERED FLAG TAVERN ATMOSPHERE
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I would have NEVER stopped in here to eat. I pass it several times a week as my office is not to far from this location. I was treating a friend to lunch and he suggested Checkered Flag Tavern. I paused. Looked at my Google maps and then asked him, "Are you sure?!?!?" Ugh!" To my surprise, the food was DELICIOUS! The atmosphere was a good clutter. The staff busy but attentive . I had the New Yorker and besides the loud music, I had a very nice lunch and will return. Thank you very much! As it goes, "never judge a book by its cover!"
Last visit was a fluke. Tonight's wings were on point. The ranch was killer. Service was excellent! My faith has been restored
This is a fun, divey bar with a racing vibe, true to its Indy heritage. The walls are covered with interesting race car images and beer signs. Regulars were sitting at the bar and watching the Price is Right on the tv monitors during lunch hour. The bar is dark inside with a mix of tables surrounding a large bar. The menu says the bar has been operating since 1947. We were greeted and told to sit anywhere. The smell of Budweiser filled the air. The menu is a mix of barbecue/smoked sandwiches and wings, hamburgers, salads and more. Our server, Shawna, was bubbly and fun. She was the greeter, bartender and server for the entire bar. She was attentive and a 5-star awesome server. My husband had the special Steak Burrito which came with chips and salsa. The burrito was huge, filled with lots of steak, jalapeños, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream. The chips were ok. I had the Bbq Loaded Spud. The giant potato is smoked. The toppings had a lot going on. There was a generous serving of pulled pork, coleslaw, and pimiento cheese covered with bbq sauce and green onions. The pulled pork was very good (except for several bites of fat). The potato was filling. Certain nights, they host live musiThere is parking in the rear with a rear entrance through the outdoor patio. They charge a premium for credit cards (so bring some cash!). Checkered Flag is a great stop (less than a block off 465) for a sandwich and beer. And a must visit for a race fans.
Pleasantly surprised they use fresh food. The entrance wasn't obvious but there are two one off the parking in the back and on the side. We were greeted and told we could seat ourselves. This is a neighborhood spot with apparent regulars. The bar and tap are adequate. the decor a hodgepodge of Indiana racing memorabilia and race reference bumper stickers. The prices are good but they do charge for using a credit card. The service was good and the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. We all enjoyed our food. The negative was the cooks without hair nets and long hair and beards. I think it is a good local option for a laid back super casual bite and beer.
Fun Indy 500 decor. We were there for an early lunch. Only 2 other patrons in the tavern. We had excellent service. We ordered a sandwich special that came with fries. The sandwich was on Texas toast, pulled barbecue chicken, American cheese, bacon and candied jalapeños. It was delicious! Also ordered a side of onion rings. Very tasty, not too greasy with a sauce on the side. We've lived on Indy's west side for 30 years and never stopped in until today. Glad we did!
A pleasant surprise at the bar/restaurant. Don't let the outside and the area fool you, inside it's decorated in racing decor. This would be a great stop for racers! The menu has a large variety to choose from. I enjoyed the brisket on the Southern brisket melt and more brisket on the Texas Jalapeño spud. Another party had the double cheeseburger. We all enjoyed our food! Our waitress Shelly took good care of us and did a great job
Great neighborhood bar. Not fancy, but plenty of fun race themed decor. Bar tender was attentive and noticed when it was time for another drink. Food was quite tasty bar fare.
There's always an "interesting" crowd to be found at the Checkered Flag. Bikers, truckers, and local working folk are the regulars. And they are all very nice people....as are the staff. The menu is elevated bar food that goes beyond what you get at your typical neighborhood watering hole. And they have a BBQ pit that serves up some legit smoked goodies. I went with a burger topped with New Mexico hatch chilies. Pretty damn good. I like they provide malt vinegar in the little condiment caddy for the fries. Keep an eye out for drink specials. I got a big burger, fries and tall boy can of beer for $15. How many places can you get away with that in today's economy. Good place.
Stopped by to check out the bbq and food. The bartenders (crystal and Jessica) were fantastic, the food was amazing and the people were great. Had a wonderful time. Truly and 5 star dive bar!
Cute place, My brisket sandwich was like dried wood chips. sent it back.Hubby liked his burger that he ordered PLAIN....(but had to scape mayo off and take all the fixing off) .there was only a bartender so service was slow, if you are looking for a "good ole boy spot" then you definitely found it...
Some friends and I are doing a tour of neighborhood taverns. This time we visited The AVG, Checkered Flag Tavern and Herrman Brethers Bierwerks. The AVG is definitely a neighborhood tavern. It's cozy and very laid back with high top tables. I ordered an Old Fashioned but mixed drinks weren't really on offer unless it was something like rum and coke. I had a beer. It was fine. We were there for about an hour and a half. I would definitely return. The vibes were slow paced. We moved on to The Checkered Flag. Wowza!! It was a Thursday night but the place was hopping. We were joined by another friend with plans to have a bite to eat. The menu is unbelievable. So much to choose from. We were kind of boring because 3 of us chose the same thing and the other two chose the same item. Two had the pork tenderloin. Both agreed it was excellent. Three of us had the BBQ Pork spud. It's a giant baked potato with butter, a good spread of pimento cheese, moist pulled pork, BBQ sauce, coleslaw and green onions. It was fantastic. Normally the pork can become a bit dry. This was not the case. Cooked perfectly. I was able to order the Old Fashioned. They apologized because they were out of oranges but I was fine. It was a very good drink. There happened to be two musicians performing. I was quite impressed. This tavern was very very impressive. We all agreed to return Our final stop was Herrmann. It's a small brewery tucked away off a quiet street. We were offered several tastings of the beers on offer. We were all able to find something to our liking. I had a porter. There are tables for four spread around the seating area. It's comfortable and definitely a neighborhood haunt. All three places were definitely neighborhood taverns. The Checkered Flag was hands down the best! Indy has so much to offer!
Good times good people! Food and drinks are even better, it's always a good time with the Checkerd Flag!
3 months ago
Holy Toledo. Where was this place when i lived in Indy? Stopped by to have a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. It was one of the best that I have ever had. Had a salad and could only eat 2 bites. The tenderloin was fresh and Cooked PERFECTLY. Very large and so tasty. Fries were fresh and salad was actually very good. Great quality. Server was unbelievably nice. She was working the whole bar and still did great. They must have 1 million in racing memorabilia. Very nice and I had a soft drink due to work, but the prices of beer and bourbon were pretty cheap. Looks like a dive bar but the cook is really good and just fun to be in. Server made the day and she was so friendly. I will be back. read more
12 days ago
It had been years since we had been here. We came on a Saturday after an exhausting morning of car shopping. We walked in and country music was playing and 3 or 4 couples dotted around the bar. They were singing and just having an amazing time! Made me feel happy to see people all smiles enjoying themselves. We were HUNGRY! It took a little while to get waited on--but no worries--the food was worth the wait! I could not remember the menu having so many interesting items. Now I am a creature of habit and if I have to eat in a bar, it's usually a burger or pork tenderloin sandwich, which I chose the latter. Now my husband had what I toyed with the idea of having--the fried bologna sandwich. It took about 30-40 minutes for the food . They both looked appetizing! My sandwich was good--I won't lie--I have had better tenderloin sandwiches, but it was hot and delicious ! My husband had the most wonderful sandwich! Omg! I will have that next time. I almost wished I had ordered one to go!!! Truly wonderful. Now there was a gentleman next to me who ordered a pork belly blt with a fried green tomato that peaked my curiosity. Needless to say, WE WILL BE BACK! I would have given 5 stars but it took a little time to get waited on. read more
I would have NEVER stopped in here to eat. I pass it several times a week as my office is not to far from this location. I was treating a friend to lunch and he suggested Checkered Flag Tavern. I paused. Looked at my Google maps and then asked him, "Are you sure?!?!?" Ugh!" To my surprise, the food was DELICIOUS! The atmosphere was a good clutter. The staff busy but attentive . I had the New Yorker and besides the loud music, I had a very nice lunch and will return. Thank you very much! As it goes, "never judge a book by its cover!" read more
1 year ago
This is a fun, divey bar with a racing vibe, true to its Indy heritage. The walls are covered with interesting race car images and beer signs. Regulars were sitting at the bar and watching the Price is Right on the tv monitors during lunch hour. The bar is dark inside with a mix of tables surrounding a large bar. The menu says the bar has been operating since 1947. We were greeted and told to sit anywhere. The smell of Budweiser filled the air. The menu is a mix of barbecue/smoked sandwiches and wings, hamburgers, salads and more. Our server, Shawna, was bubbly and fun. She was the greeter, bartender and server for the entire bar. She was attentive and a 5-star awesome server. My husband had the special Steak Burrito which came with chips and salsa. The burrito was huge, filled with lots of steak, jalapeños, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream. The chips were ok. I had the Bbq Loaded Spud. The giant potato is smoked. The toppings had a lot going on. There was a generous serving of pulled pork, coleslaw, and pimiento cheese covered with bbq sauce and green onions. The pulled pork was very good (except for several bites of fat). The potato was filling. Certain nights, they host live musiThere is parking in the rear with a rear entrance through the outdoor patio. They charge a premium for credit cards (so bring some cash!). Checkered Flag is a great stop (less than a block off 465) for a sandwich and beer. And a must visit for a race fans. read more
13 days ago
Old Greasey fish and fries. The fish was cooked so hard in the old grease, biting into old grease hard crunchy batter on the fish! Terrible 1st impression is a lasting one. I couldn't eat it. I was going to call back and share my experience, but I just won't ever go back . ... wasted $15 yukkkkky read more
Pleasantly surprised they use fresh food. The entrance wasn't obvious but there are two one off the parking in the back and on the side. We were greeted and told we could seat ourselves. This is a neighborhood spot with apparent regulars. The bar and tap are adequate. the decor a hodgepodge of Indiana racing memorabilia and race reference bumper stickers. The prices are good but they do charge for using a credit card. The service was good and the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. We all enjoyed our food. The negative was the cooks without hair nets and long hair and beards. I think it is a good local option for a laid back super casual bite and beer. read more
26 days ago
Fun Indy 500 decor. We were there for an early lunch. Only 2 other patrons in the tavern. We had excellent service. We ordered a sandwich special that came with fries. The sandwich was on Texas toast, pulled barbecue chicken, American cheese, bacon and candied jalapeños. It was delicious! Also ordered a side of onion rings. Very tasty, not too greasy with a sauce on the side. We've lived on Indy's west side for 30 years and never stopped in until today. Glad we did! read more
A pleasant surprise at the bar/restaurant. Don't let the outside and the area fool you, inside it's decorated in racing decor. This would be a great stop for racers! The menu has a large variety to choose from. I enjoyed the brisket on the Southern brisket melt and more brisket on the Texas Jalapeño spud. Another party had the double cheeseburger. We all enjoyed our food! Our waitress Shelly took good care of us and did a great job read more
5 months ago
There's always an "interesting" crowd to be found at the Checkered Flag. Bikers, truckers, and local working folk are the regulars. And they are all very nice people....as are the staff. The menu is elevated bar food that goes beyond what you get at your typical neighborhood watering hole. And they have a BBQ pit that serves up some legit smoked goodies. I went with a burger topped with New Mexico hatch chilies. Pretty damn good. I like they provide malt vinegar in the little condiment caddy for the fries. Keep an eye out for drink specials. I got a big burger, fries and tall boy can of beer for $15. How many places can you get away with that in today's economy. Good place. read more
10 months ago
Stopped by to check out the bbq and food. The bartenders (crystal and Jessica) were fantastic, the food was amazing and the people were great. Had a wonderful time. Truly and 5 star dive bar! read more
8 months ago
Cute place, My brisket sandwich was like dried wood chips. sent it back.Hubby liked his burger that he ordered PLAIN....(but had to scape mayo off and take all the fixing off) .there was only a bartender so service was slow, if you are looking for a "good ole boy spot" then you definitely found it... read more
11 months ago
Some friends and I are doing a tour of neighborhood taverns. This time we visited The AVG, Checkered Flag Tavern and Herrman Brethers Bierwerks. The AVG is definitely a neighborhood tavern. It's cozy and very laid back with high top tables. I ordered an Old Fashioned but mixed drinks weren't really on offer unless it was something like rum and coke. I had a beer. It was fine. We were there for about an hour and a half. I would definitely return. The vibes were slow paced. We moved on to The Checkered Flag. Wowza!! It was a Thursday night but the place was hopping. We were joined by another friend with plans to have a bite to eat. The menu is unbelievable. So much to choose from. We were kind of boring because 3 of us chose the same thing and the other two chose the same item. Two had the pork tenderloin. Both agreed it was excellent. Three of us had the BBQ Pork spud. It's a giant baked potato with butter, a good spread of pimento cheese, moist pulled pork, BBQ sauce, coleslaw and green onions. It was fantastic. Normally the pork can become a bit dry. This was not the case. Cooked perfectly. I was able to order the Old Fashioned. They apologized because they were out of oranges but I was fine. It was a very good drink. There happened to be two musicians performing. I was quite impressed. This tavern was very very impressive. We all agreed to return Our final stop was Herrmann. It's a small brewery tucked away off a quiet street. We were offered several tastings of the beers on offer. We were all able to find something to our liking. I had a porter. There are tables for four spread around the seating area. It's comfortable and definitely a neighborhood haunt. All three places were definitely neighborhood taverns. The Checkered Flag was hands down the best! Indy has so much to offer! read more
1 year ago
Good times good people! Food and drinks are even better, it's always a good time with the Checkerd Flag! read more
1 year ago
Hint....look for parking lot in the back! Ample parking, service was fast, friendly and uncomplicated. The brisket sandwich was amazing! Loved the side of barbecue sauce with the outstanding fries. I would definitely come back here if in the area. read more
1 year ago
Great messy food & great service & music. The Californians will be back!!! Buy a shirt & support local!! read more
Went to the Checkered Flag Tavern for lunch and Bloody Mary's. There was a dart tournament going on. The build your own Bloody Mary's were good. All different kinds of mixes mild to super spicy. Different olives, peppers, meats, cheeses, vegetables to put in your drink. They smoke their own meat and the Chicken wings are very good. We also like their loaded tots they're huge. Just a neighborhood bar with great service. read more
3 months ago
1 year ago
Damn! Burnt ends AND a tenderloin?!?! Yes. Sign me up! These are the best burnt ends I've eaten outside of KC. They were excellent. Check this place out. read more
10 months ago
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7 months ago
We came here on a Friday night and it was extremely crowded because there was a band getting ready to play. We sat at the bar top and the three bartenders did an awesome job taking care of us and also keeping up with the non stop crowd. We got the loaded Tater Tots, Fried Pickles, and Wings. Didn't take a photo of the wings because the food was so good we couldn't wait. They even quoted us 35-40 minutes and our food was to us in 15. Great place and an Indianapolis staple for a reason. Can't wait to go back! read more
6 months ago
3 months ago
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7 months ago
We have been to Checkered Flag several times. On this visit I ordered the regular order of smoked wings with the Bourbon glaze. It was 11 wings for $14. They were tasty! My husband also ordered fried pickles. We didn't order any cocktails because it was karaoke night and we are not fans. So we ate dinner and headed out. read more
We're passing by and needed dinner - checked the menu off of Yelp and we were sold. There is a decent amount of parking and the place was pretty full on a Saturday evening. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We ordered the barbecue chicken and the brisket - both with salads and no bread. The chicken was pretty good - and the homemade barbecue sauce was delicious. The brisket was over the top tasty. Portions were decent sized and prices were very fair.The salad was meh - but the homemade ranch dressing was really good. Two country guitar players / singers were exceptional. read more
Great spot to check out while I was in town for the Indy game. I had the tenderloin sandwich (huge!), which was delish! Great people in this bar., plus it happened to be Halloween weekend, so costumes everywhere. Great time! So it was a great time, and I would definitely go again. read more
1 year ago
Those of you reading this review are in for a treat. You not only get a review, but a story. But first the basics. This is a whole in the wall bar. They have a lot of local regulars. There is parking on both sides of the bar, with the majority of parking being on the side with the patio. The bar has a pool table and dart boards and as I mentioned, there is also a patio. There is patio, dining room seating, and bar seating. They have a menu filled with pub favorites, like burgers, salads, cajun food, chicken, and barbecue. I was excited to try their wings, so I got some mango habanaro wings and then the pork rinds caught my eye, so I got an order of cajun rinds. That was not my first choice though. They were out of a lot of items including chicken and gator. I really wanted the gator. Well here is my story. While I was waiting for my food, a woman, that was sitting at the bar, feel out of here stole and hit the ground hard. Strangely no one moved and then eventually the guy that she was with helped her up. As soon as they got her back up she feel again. They said she only had two drinks and could not be drunk, so they asked her what she was on. She said quaaludes and that she could not move here legs. At this point I am frozen. No one at the bar moved. She was then propped in a chair, looking like a zombie. They guy she was with went back to the bar and finished his beer while she was drooling at a a table in a chair. Eventually, in zombie fashion, she arouse and left on her own, by herself. All the while, I am sitting there like is anyone else seeing this? It was very odd. I finally got my food and I would say I was not impressed. The wings were ok. They did not have much sauce on them is my main complaint. Some of them were almost plain. I did like that they were smoked. That give them a nice taste. The blue cheese that I got with the wings were small and only lasted through about half of my wings. The pork rings where ok, but hey were light on the cajun seasoning and the main difference between those and the ones you can get from the gas station is that they make the occasional cracking noise. I think that some of the store bought ones are actually better. The server/bartender was very friendly. It took her a while to get my order in though. My main issues with this place are that they were out of a lot of food, the food that I ordered was ok. It could have been better. And even though I know it is not in control of the bar, someone having a drug episode while I am trying to eat lunch is a major turn off. I am all for a dinner show, but that is not what I had in mind. read more
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More info about Checkered Flag Tavern
5725 W Morris St
Indianapolis, IN 46241
Ben Davis
Directions
(317) 247-6209
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https://checkeredflagtavernindy.com
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Ask the Community - Checkered Flag Tavern
Is it only for the over 21 crowd?
As far as I know it is 21 and older due to Indiana alcohol laws. Since it is basically a bar. Please correct me if I am wrong.
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